The flower shop was easy enough to find, but I can't read the map; both it and the robots were along the north-south Midosuji drag (along with the temple), but exactly where will take some time. No Cui-daore! (The pitstop ferris wheel)

Mount Tempozan (天保山), at an astounding 4.53 meters, is the lowest mountain in Japan. The mountain is located in Tempozan Park in Osaka. An artificially made mountain and the namesake of Tempozan area, it was constructed in 1831-1832 with the mud excavated from the river bottom to make way for vessels approaching downtown Osaka.

We're speculating that Rachel & TK are far ahead Gman and Chateau has given us a time of Don on the Kishiwada Castle steps but other than that I don't know what else we can look for? I'm still hunting for that darn golden taiko thinking it must mean something, it must lead us somewhere

At last, I'm back on line. Power went out at the house late Saturday night and now just has been restored. Missed the show, but had son videotape it and saw it this morning at his place.

We should have listened more closely to the sweet, weak japanese voice on the network promo. In retrospect you can clearly hear her say: "Good luck, Rachel, you'll need it." So where did the idea of TK and Rachel being way ahead of everyone else, when in effect they ended up three hours later at the pit stop?

Do they have enough to make up time; sure they do the teams will all be bunched at the airport trying to get to Taiwan.

We're speculating that Rachel & TK are far ahead Gman and Chateau has given us a time of Don on the Kishiwada Castle steps but other than that I don't know what else we can look for? I'm still hunting for that darn golden taiko thinking it must mean something, it must lead us somewhere

At last, I'm back on line. Power went out at the house late Saturday night and now just has been restored. Missed the show, but had son videotape it and saw it this morning at his place.

We should have listened more closely to the sweet, weak japanese voice on the network promo. In retrospect you can clearly hear her say: "Good luck, Rachel, you'll need it." So where did the idea of TK and Rachel being way ahead of everyone else, when in effect they ended up three hours later at the pit stop?

Do they have enough to make up time; sure they do the teams will all be bunched at the airport trying to get to Taiwan.

We're speculating that Rachel & TK are far ahead Gman and Chateau has given us a time of Don on the Kishiwada Castle steps but other than that I don't know what else we can look for? I'm still hunting for that darn golden taiko thinking it must mean something, it must lead us somewhere

So where did the idea of TK and Rachel being way ahead of everyone else, when in effect they ended up three hours later at the pit stop?

Do they have enough to make up time; sure they do the teams will all be bunched at the airport trying to get to Taiwan.

GMAN, let me address your issues. first, Tk and Rachel left the pistop in first place, they got to a travel agent first, and they got on a plane out of Mumbai first. The hints about that from the prior week is what caused several, including definitely me, to cite them for likely to reach Osaka first. However, that such a crummy travel agent that they had a 7 hour wait in Delhi and the route they chose(Mumbai to Delhi to Peking to Osaka) was a big loser. That's how they arrived bout 3 hours behind other teams. During the performance of tasks I wouldn't expect them, with no Japanese language skills, to make up any time and they didn't according to Phil stating they are 3 hours behind at the pitstop.

Sure they don't have any opportunity to make up any time with bunching. If a strict 12 hour pitstop is observed, then they will have NO opportunity to make up even a minute except maybe on one team that doesn't get on the early nonstop flights(that leave late morning) from Osaka to Taipei. When TK and Rachel arrive in Taipei, they will still be at least 3 hours behind and then have to do a Speed bump somewhere. If they are lucky it's right away. Then they will have it out of the way when they arrive at the Taipei101 building and find that an intersection will save their butts. They probably have to team up with Christina and Ronald, who will then have been waiting for them for well over 3.5 hours.

I thought we have a new picture of TK/Rachel in Taiwan immigration with other teams? Or am I hallucinating from lack of sleep?

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"Our fans are pretty good. They don't give away too much. Sometimes people love dropping spoilers, but our fans are good. They tend to do it in such a way that doesn't ruin it for fans who don't want to know."--Phil Keoghan

You are right-- it doesn't imply that at all. I misread something. Sorry...

Hallucinating is right....

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"Our fans are pretty good. They don't give away too much. Sometimes people love dropping spoilers, but our fans are good. They tend to do it in such a way that doesn't ruin it for fans who don't want to know."--Phil Keoghan

Wow Slowhatch! You know you are spoiling us right? Now we'll be expecting this gorgeous map every time!

Wonderful job!

I am so stealing this for MAPS!......

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"Our fans are pretty good. They don't give away too much. Sometimes people love dropping spoilers, but our fans are good. They tend to do it in such a way that doesn't ruin it for fans who don't want to know."--Phil Keoghan

I want to comment on the design of the Osaka Detour, specifically Smell(in the flower shop, the selection of a real flower). This task should never have been in the design once Rachel was chosen as a contestant. As a florist she had a huge unfair advantage, as evidenced by the fact that it took her 3 mintues onsite to complete this task. Given the situation, that just helped to minimize her team's deficit. however, if they had been competitive at that point, it would have been grossly unfair. It makes you wonder if a change might have been made to Osaka detours once the flight issues of TK&Rachel were known to the producers so that a chance was provided for Tk&Rachel to do some catchup. I have minimal confidence in the statements that the race design is fixed before it starts and never altered since we know what happened in Kuala Lumpur to Uchenna and Joyce. How many others tiimes has something like that occured but no outsiders ever knew?

I want to comment on the design of the Osaka Detour, specifically Smell(in the flower shop, the selection of a real flower). This task should never have been in the design once Rachel was chosen as a contestant. As a florist she had a huge unfair advantage, as evidenced by the fact that it took her 3 mintues onsite to complete this task. Given the situation, that just helped to minimize her team's deficit. however, if they had been competitive at that point, it would have been grossly unfair. It makes you wonder if a change might have been made to Osaka detours once the flight issues of TK&Rachel were known to the producers so that a chance was provided for Tk&Rachel to do some catchup. I have minimal confidence in the statements that the race design is fixed before it starts and never altered since we know what happened in Kuala Lumpur to Uchenna and Joyce. How many others tiimes has something like that occured but no outsiders ever knew?

Given how tight the schedule was, I don't think they (WRP) would have enough time to change the Detour, get the necessary permits and permissions to film in that location (though I'm not well versed in the filming requirements of Osaka so that might not be an issue), and to reprint the Detour clue from what it originally was (if it was indeed on the fly) before the lead teams encountered the Detour. Not to mention there have been quite a few tasks that racers have been good at: Marianna with the pole vaulting, Vyxsin with macrame, Donald with just about everything.

A much easier way of fixing the Detour would've just been to put the real flower close to the entrance for TK/Rachel, ensuring that they get out quickly.

I'm interested in the timing aspect of the leg - the lead teams arrived in Osaka at 2:30 and finished just before (Ron/Chris) to a ways after sunset (Nic/Don) - given the traffic that they would encounter in the RB, that's understandable. What's interesting is that TK/Rachel arrived at around 6 and even given the presumably reduced traffic and quick Detour choice, it's safe to say they landed on the mat at around 11. I'm at a loss as to how they could lose so much time this leg.

EDIT to respond to this

Quote from: Chateau

I love it when there are tasks in the race that one or more racers happens to be particularly adapt at. You should be able to draw upon your skills.

I was not aware of anything unusual for Uchenna & Joyce at Kuala Lumpur.

What do you mean?

According to one of their post-show interviews, Uchenna and Joyce ran the full leg in Kuala Lumpur; they did the cookie Detour and Joyce did the RB, which would indicate that they were still going to be in it and needed to get a true pit stop time arrival. Were it supposed to be an elimination leg, they would just get the pit stop clue at the soonest route marker (as it was shown on the show like prior instances of this ie Gutsy Grannies, Peter/Sarah) so they wouldn't waste time and money performing and filming the tasks. Moreover, this was followed by two NELs, which, given the marked for elimination penalty, made the first non-elimination leg (Hong Kong) basically useless in the grand scheme of things). I think that based on U/J's interview and the subsequent leg structure, that Kuala Lumpur was originally going to be an NEL and that Hong Kong would be elimination, but that since U/J were so behind, the expense would be too much to warrant keeping them there an extra leg and they were given the boot.

Zackattack - In agreement with youI met U/J at a function here in Houston the week all stars finished and Uchenna was quite adamant that KL was meant to be a NEL. I think that makes sense as the next two legs were NEL's which made no sense to me at all.

Also in TAR6 didn't Hayden/Rebecca state that the producers kept closing the number of keys that they needed to select in the Key task in China.

CHATEAU, I agree with Zachattack308 and with patlini. It is not for certain, but about 90% that World Race Productions could not live with the damage to future legs from having Phil needing to stay around for Uchenna and Joyce to complete their legs about a half day behind the other teams. So a decision was made on the fly to change the Kuala Lumpur leg to elimination from the original NEL so it wouldn't be a problem.

Well it depends. Uusally Phil will eventually head out to the task someone is stuck at, our if teams hit a hours of operation (that absolutely puts them significantly behind) then are directed to the Pit Stop.

But in some cases its been hours and hours after they were already eliminated before either happens.

As to Joyce & Uchena, I do have to wonder what time they might have check in. They should have been running about 10 hours after the otehr teams, and thats if they had the same level of difficulty in completing tasks. But they even admit (Joyce & Uchenna in clips) that it takes so much longer to do anything at night. Add to that the last task of going to people's homes to ask for their extra papers would have been exceptional difficult since they most likely would have been their around 9-11 pm at night.

And really it wouldn't have made much differnce as the race progressed to teh next leg. With the same Pit Stop they wouldn't have been even released to get the flights that Charla & Mirna, Dustin & Kandice or Owald & Danny took. If the screen was accurate (instead of what apskip dug up) for Eric & Danielle it is not possible for that fligth as well.

The only real difference is that on that next leg. instead of Eric & Danielle being last and suffering the "Non elimination" penalty. They would have been next to last and Joyce & Uchenna would have been elimianted.

Eric & Danielle would still be yielded in the next leg (since they would be th elast team progressing. The only real change would have been them officially checking in at #2, since they wouldn't have had to deal with the 30 minute penality.

Thats if the prodcuers did in fact change things up, due to the huge time difference.

So no big effect. No extra winning or losing a leg (for that prize). Just would have increased their confidence a little (which hey they won, so no harm no foul), and for those who keep records of Pit Stop placement. Thats it. Instead of being the highest averaged team that won. They would end up tying teams like Chris & Alex, Chip & Kim, and Freddy & Kendra.

"Our fans are pretty good. They don't give away too much. Sometimes people love dropping spoilers, but our fans are good. They tend to do it in such a way that doesn't ruin it for fans who don't want to know."--Phil Keoghan